Under Siege
by Just Jenny
Summary: The war has begun to get bloody and it looks as if Hogwarts is the last stand. Newly apointed mediwitch Hermione Granger must handle careing for several hundred children and patients with only the help of her snarky potions master, Severus Snape
1. Title Page

_**Under Siege**_

**An Original Story by JustGinny**

**Disclaimer:**

_Harry Potter, Characters, names, and related indicia are trademarks of and copyright_

_Warner Bros. Harry Potter Publishing Rights copyright J.K. Rowling. All Rights Reserved._

**Author's note:**

_I do not own Harry Potter or the Harry Potter world, _

_I merely get to play there for a while._

**Copyright: DON'T TAKE MY STUFF!!**

_**Characters by J.K. Rowling :**_

Hermione Granger

Ronald Weasley

Harry Potter

Ginny Weasley

Draco Malfoy

Severus Snape

Minerva McGonagall

Albus Dumbledore

Madeye Moody

Nymphadora Tonks

Sirius Black

Remus Lupin

Dobby

Lucius Malfoy

Narcissa Malfoy

Fleur Delacour

Aberforth Dumbledore

Peter Pettigrew

Rubeus Hagrid

Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, and George Weasley

Tom Marvolo 'Voldemort' Riddle

Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley

**oh geeze! . . . You know the rest already. . .**

_**Original Characters by JustGinny:**_

**None so far!**


	2. Life in the Hospital Wing

**Chapter 1**

**Life in the Hospital wing  
**

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* * *

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_Dear Diary,_

_Well, this is my first entry. I've started this diary with the hope that it be found when this is all over. It will tell my story and as much as I know about what is happening. This war will take its toll on the entire wizarding world and I plan to be there to help rebuild. However, if my plans fall out, the world will at least still have this diary._

_I have recently been made the Hogwarts Medi-witch, after the sad death of Poppy Pomfrey and am now in charge of the Hogwarts hospital wing. I pray that I will not have many patients._

_With Hope for the Future,_

_Hermione Granger,_

_May 8, 1997_

_

* * *

_

_Dear Diary,_

_The war between Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter began about two years ago, and since then has escalated into this: Open siege. I have been assigned to the Hospital ward to take Poppy's place (Merlin Bless her) since she died 2 weeks ago. I was her apprentice before she died and I had almost completed my 2 years, so Professor Dumbledor gave me the title of Medi-witch and free rein over the Hospital wing. Immediately after, I took Ginny Weasley as my own apprentice in desperation. We need more help, but I don't know if we'll get it. We had to expand the Hospital wing to include nearly 50 surrounding rooms due to the enormous amounts of injuries and children that have been left on our door step. Children from everywhere. About three wizard primary schools have left the children here for safety, thanks to Voldemort's many attacks. Leaving us nearly 200 children from other schools. We also have with us, many who have been injured and can no longer fight: Aurors, ministry officials and a few members from The Order. Just three days ago, Nymphadora Tonks was brought in after being hit with some sort of curse. I have yet to figure out exactly what tho. Professor Snape has been busy with making the necessary potions for Ginny and I but he is quite frustrated with having to be stuck here instead of fighting with the others. Hogwarts has been made into a sort of last stand against Voldemort. He has ravaged much of England but has yet to beat the borders of the school grounds. My hope is that he never will, but in the case of such a thing occurring, Professor Dumbledor has given us a plan to follow with my patients and the first, second and third years that are not allowed to fight. I pray that we never have to use it._

_With Hope,_

_Hermione Granger,_

_May 24, 1997_

_

* * *

_

Hermione sets down her quill and leans back from her desk, rubbing her stiff neck. She had been the school nurse for exactly two weeks today. Poppy had died while trying to warn her family about Voldemort but had been to late, and was caught there at the attack. Hermione had been missing her terribly.

''Hermione, Alan is throwing up again and Tonks has a fever. What have you got for that?'' Ginny asks, popping her head into the office. Hermione stands and groans. Tonks had been slipping in and out of consciousness for a while, catching fevers and vomiting before passing it on to the next person. They had isolated her but Alan Myers had been hiding in her room during a game of hide and seek during one of her vomiting episodes. They had created a quarantine around the two and had been fighting to get them well again for the last week. She grabs two vials from the shelf behind her.

''Here, give this to Tonks and this one to Alan. I need to go talk to Professor Snape about some more potions. If you need anything use the locket.'' Hermione says handing Ginny the vials and sweeping out of the room toward the laboratory that had been made for Professor Snape just behind the Hospital wing. Just before Hogsmead had shut down, Ginny and Hermione had bought two lockets that allow them to speak to each other at any time. They had been quite a blessing since Hermione had been made Medi-witch, allowing Ginny to contact her during an emergency.

Hermione carefully steps down the winding stairs and quietly opens the door to Professor Snape's laboratory finding him flitting around three different cauldrons.

''Professor Snape? How are the potions coming?'' She asks timidly, fully aware of his reaction to being interrupted. His gaze snaps up to meet her own and she nearly flinches at the look in his eyes.

''They would be going much better if I didn't have impertinent children popping in here every few moments.'' He snarls at her viciously. She glares back at him.

''In case you haven't noticed, I am not much of a child any longer.'' She steps into the room and places a hand on her hip. ''And in case you haven't noticed, I am now a member of the Hogwarts staff; tho I wish it were under happier circumstances.'' She replies scathingly. He glares at her still but his face holds none of the malice it had before. When he speaks again his voice is icy and smooth as honey.

''I wasn't talking about you Miss Granger. I was talking about the little rats that were in here earlier. I believe they were playing... _hide and seek._'' He turns back to his potions, ignoring the properly chastised young woman at his door. She turns slightly pink.

''Oh... Well... I'll look into it. Y'know, we really need more help to take care of all these children, and we need one big room instead of all the separate ones... Or perhaps two: One for boys and one for girls...'' She drifts off hopefully.

''I will look into helping you organize your nursery later Miss Granger. If it will help you keep the little terrors in check, then I will gladly help.'' He declares, with a hint of cold sympathy buried in his voice. Hermione's mouth twitches up at the corners, to exhausted for a true smile.

''Thank you Professor. I will leave you to your potions now, Merlin knows we need them.'' She shakes her head sadly at the frazzled looking Potions master and turns to leave. ''Oh, and please, as soon as you can we will need more stomach regeneration drought and fever reducer for Tonks and Alan.'' She exits and softly shuts the door behind her. The poor man had been driving himself crazy trying to make all the necessary potions for Hermione and Ginny. A few of the Aurors had offered to help but he had refused. He wouldn't trust anyone with the potions and was making himself sick trying to keep up, the stubborn fool. Hermione shakes her head.

Back in the potions laboratory, Severus is shaking his head as well. She shouldn't have to be exposed to these sort of problem at such a young age. She would be 19 on her next birthday (four months away), but it is still so young. Severus pauses. When had he started thinking like this? What sort of things had _he_ been doing at that age? How much had _he_ been through? Hell... He had already been a Death eater for nearly 3 years at that age and would become a spy for Dumbledor within the next year. And hadn't it been his goal to teach the silly children about life in the first place? What better way than to experience it first hand?

Severus jumps and spins on his heel. Hermione's headache potion was almost boiling over. He quickly turns the fire down. Their newest school nurse had been playing mother to nearly 300 patients since this bloody battle had begun and had needed a headache potion almost daily. It was the least he could do for her. He adds the next ingredient to the next cauldron and stirs it a few times, watching the color change from puke green to dandelion yellow. It is his only way of feeling important really. Trying to keep Hermione sane. She is the only one with the knowledge, strength and levelheadedness needed to take care of so many helpless people. He sighs and turns to the next potion. _Lacewing flies and three stirs with a silver spoon... _he turns the fire off and bottles the third potion, calling a house elf to carry the 20 or so bottles up to the Hospital ward. He turns back to the now empty cauldron and cleans it swiftly with his wand, preparing to make the stomach regeneration drought.

As he adds the first few ingredients, he allows his mind to wander again. A few weeks ago, he had been going through a particularly rough patch. He had found no reason left to live, he had been shunned by the dark lord, lost his trust and had been pushed out of the inner circle, thus loosing any ability to get information for the order. He was expendable. He had no one left who cared about him, they had all been killed. His parents had been killed by an auror when he was 12 years old during a death eater raid and Dumbledor had no use of him any longer. Tho he hadn't turned him away... yet. And now, he had been forced to remain in the castle, away from the fight that he wanted so badly, because Dumbledor had not wanted him found out.

Nearly two weeks earlier, in a fit of anger towards himself, he had blown a hole in his arm where the dark mark had been. He had been one of Hermione's first patients.

When he had awoken the morning after trying to kill himself, Hermione had been leaning over him and smiling sympathetically. He had immediately been furious: throwing things at her and yelling... scaring the Weasley girl witless when she had come to check on him, but Hermione had refused to back down. She had told him that she had reconstructed the part of his arm that had been missing and that the only clue that he had ever had the mark was a round patch of pinkish skin that quickly healed and blended in with the rest of his arm. She told him that in his act of anger against himself, the mark had been removed and he had been freed from the dark lord. When he had tried to protest her help and tell her that he had no purpose to live, she had gotten very angry at him and given him a reason. She had been almost Slytherin in her logic, telling him that she had saved his life and that he owed his life to her now. She had told him that he would repay her by keeping her sane while the war went on. Not a request, not a suggestion, but a demand. He hated being in anyone's debt so initially he had been even more furious but he soon gave in slightly out of sheer exhaustion from fighting with the pigheaded Gryffindor. That was how he had ended up in his current position; Making an endless amount of potions and helping her with spells around the hospital.

She was worse than Dumbledor.

She hadn't said that he had to like his debt so he he hadn't even tried, however, as things progressed over the next week and a half, he had made the discovery that he enjoyed helping her. He couldn't quite put his mind to what it was that pleased him about his role but the revelation that he enjoyed it had tortured him to no end. Of course, if he were to be honest with himself, he enjoyed the swell of pride in his chest every time she sighed happily after taking his improved headache potion.

But what was the use of being honest with one's self?

Severus shuts down that train of thought and turns to the stomach regeneration drought. He adds a large amount of powdered Ginger root to the concoction and allows it to boil with the other ingredients for a moment to dissolve it before lowering the fire. He spends the next few minuets of thought solely on his potions before his thoughts begin drifting again.

He and Miss Granger had formed a truce of sorts: He would treat her as an adult and she would refrain anyone from making his life a living hell. Well, worse than it was anyway.

He had also found that the more stressed she became the worse the people around her became. So, when she had asked him to brew an altered headache potion for her he had been more than willing to comply. She had made the request loosely, only asking for something to help her relax but he had taken things a step further. He had added a relaxant to calm her nerves, a stomach soother (she needed it with all the gruesome injuries that passed through each day), and an anti-viral potion into the mix. Then of course he had also added the taste of plumbs.

The girl loved plums. It was her absolute favorite fruit and she could often be found munching on slices of it any time that she was alone... lately that had grown a rarer and rarer occurrence.

Severus finishes the regrowth potion in front of him and bottles in quickly before chilling it and calling another house elf. He begins the fever reducer.

It had no longer been necessary for him to keep his image as the snarky potions Professor after he had freed himself from Vol-... the dark lord but he had found it hard to let go of. It helped to keep nosy people out of his personal space... all except Miss Granger of course. Not to say he hadn't tried to keep her away, for in fact he had... but the girl is just as stubborn as Poppy had been... only in a younger, more Slytherin, less sickening sweet way.

Severus kicks himself mentally. He shouldn't think of Poppy that way. He loved the old woman, really he did... its just easier to think of her this way and forget that she wouldn't be there when the time comes to bring Hermione her daily potion.

Severus pauses. The girl hadn't been eating again. He would have to remember to add a nutrient potion to his bag for her and make sure she took it. He adds the last ingredient to her headache potion, turning it a deep purple color... the color of plums.

* * *

Hermione sighs and holds a cool cloth against Tonks's forehead. Another fever, another potion. Hermione pulls out her wand and tries a few new diagnostic spells that she had pulled out of the library. Across the room, Ginny is holding the little boy, Alan, as he vomits into a bedpan. She sighs. They really could use some help... or at least some organization. She turns her attention back to Tonks. The woman is smiling up at her tiredly and Hermione smiles back. 

''Good to see you awake Tonks... Have you remembered anything else about the curse?'' She asks kindly, hoping by some chance that she could maybe talk. Tonks frowns and shakes her head sadly. Hermione just dabs at her forehead and smiles reassuringly to her. ''Its alright love, we have a small lead so keep your hopes up alright?'' she says pulling a smile from her patient. Since Tonks had been sick, she had slowly faded back to her natural form. Instead of her pink hair and blue lips, she is now sporting soft brown hair, almost blond, and near colorless lips because of being sick. Hermione turns back to Ginny. ''Ginny, Professor Snape will have some more potions for us soon alright? Just keep him as calm as possible until they are ready. We need to keep him from throwing up if we can... It is very important that he stay calm and cool.'' Ginny nods. ''Oh, and Ginny? Take a nutrient potion when all this is through alright? And remember your clean breathing charm anytime you come in here. And remember...''

''Hermione! I'm fine. I remember everything alright? You can relax.'' Hermione sighs and Ginny smiles. ''You know, you should get Professor Snape to give you a shoulder massage... He's really quite good at them.'' Hermione stares at Ginny in shock and Tonks shakes in silent laughter.

''Ginny! When did he ever...?'' Ginny giggles.

''Remember when you sent me to catch those first years in the third corridor? Well the little buggers tripped me and I knocked my shoulder out of place. Professor Snape heard me yell and came to see what had happened. He set my shoulder, healed it, reduced the pain and massaged it to keep it from stiffening.'' Hermione feels a slightly jealous grin spread across her features.

''Lucky...'' She mutters and turns back to Tonks, who is shaking with silent laughter. Hermione just grins devilishly at her. Hermione had often wondered what it would be like to receive a massage with those long beautiful hands. She suppresses a happy shiver at the thought. Maybe she would ask him later... if she had the nerves for it. Ginny and Tonks knew already that Hermione had a crush on her ex-professor but they had thought it was just because of his mysteriousness and steamy voice, like most 7 th year girls. Hermione however, has different reasons. While she would admit that his velvety voice and beautifully artistic fingers make her heart race, she would be more inclined to point out his knowledge and sharp wit. He could match her on an intellectual level that no one else could and Hermione would often find herself fighting a smile when she would catch him playfully chastising his peers for not thinking things through. He and Minerva for example. They could go on for hours if left to themselves. It would be at times like these that Hermione would have the most trouble controlling her amusement... Hermione pauses sadly in her thoughts. Hopefully those times would come again soon.

''Hermione? Sweety, are you alright? Maybe you should go take a rest. You still haven't eaten anything to day. I can handle things here.'' Ginny says, helping her young patient back into the bed. Tonks nods in agreement and tries to shove her helping hands away. Hermione rolls her eyes and looks between the two women.

''Oh alright... but only for a few minuets. Just long enough to have a plum alright?'' Ginny nods and shoves Hermione out of the room, shutting it tightly behind her. Hermione giggles and makes her way to the main wing. She checks each of the patients there, an Auror from the ministry and four order members currently, including Kingsly Shacklebolt. She steps over to his cot and wipes his brow with a damp cloth.

''Hey there Hermione, How you doing?'' He rumbles pleasantly. His deep voice tickling the hairs on the back of her neck. She sets her rag aside and moves to check the bandages on his arm.

''I'm doing fine Kingsly. How about you? Hows you arm feeling?'' He shrugs and looks down at the foot of the bed.

''Oh, as well as it can considering it was torn off a few days ago...'' he says a little to pleasantly. Hermione nods and takes her rag to his forehead again. His wand arm had been torn off by a curse from a death eater and had gotten infected before he could make his way to Dumbledor. She had been reconstructing it over the last four days and it had now grown down to his elbow, looking starkly different from his other very muscular arm.

''It'll be alright Kingsly... just three more days and we can get you started on making it strong again.'' She says, giving him a hopeful smile. ''Try to sleep now alright? You need your rest.'' She says softly, helping him drink a dreamless sleep potion.

''You need rest to Hermione. You'll be in just as bad a boat as any of us if you don't keep your strength.'' he replies kindly to her. She helps the potion down his throat.

''I know Kingsley, I know.'' she sets the empty beaker on his side table along with his regrowth potion. She stands and walk back towards her office, checking each occupied bed as she passes, tucking in children and smiling at the few injured adults.

When Hermione enters her office, the first thing she notices is that she has two new sets of potions stocked on her shelf. The elves had been by. She sits in her chair and glances at the clock on her wall. Half past seven in the evening. It feels so much later than that. She slumps forward against her desk and lays her head in her arms on the desk. When she feels someone gently grab her shoulders a few moments later, she nearly jumps out of her skin but then she feels the strong hands begin kneading the muscles in her shoulders and back and she relaxes with a slight groan of pleasure.

''Geez that feels good... '' She says quietly, to distracted to care who it is. The mysterious massager works their fingers down her spine and up again, teasing the tenseness from her muscles. Hermione sighs.

''You really need to relax more Hermione. You'll go crazy otherwise.'' Hermione smiles into her arms.

''Easy for you to say, you don't have a hospital ward full of children to take care of.'' She replies, turning to the dark haired man behind her. He pulls her into a tight hug and she offers him a chair across from her own. ''So Harry, how are things going? Any word from our mysterious spy?'' She asks pouring him a cup of tea.

''Well... We have news but not from our spy. The attacks are getting closer and closer to Hogwarts, 'mione... we think the attack will be soon.'' Hermione freezes with her own cup halfway to her lips and stares at him for a second before setting the cup back down on it's saucer.

''What does Albus want us to do?'' Harry grins.

''Y'know, I don't think I'm quite used to you calling him Albus yet.'' He chuckles softly but cuts of when he sees the look in her eye. ''Oh alright... I know, this is serious. He said he wants you to set up the plan he talked to you about for an emergency escape in case its necessary.'' Hermione nods slowly, running through the plan again. ''Oh and also he wanted me to tell you that he found another pair of hands for you.'' At this Hermione brightens considerably.

''Oh good! Who did he get? Where are they?'' Harry chuckles.

''You'll see. She's talking to him right now. Her room will be right next to yours so she'll be down here before you go to sleep.'' Hermione beams happily.

''Good. That will mean there are three of us in here now. Plus, Severus said he would help me organize the rooms... but... we may not need it if we have to move.'' she says her face darkening slightly. ''I'll have to talk to Severus.'' Harry frowns slightly. ''Yes, yes. I know you don't like him but he is very important to everyone who passes through this hospital wing. Without his potions, half of them would probably be dead...'' She takes a sip of her tea.

''I know 'Mione, I just... I just want you to be careful alright?'' Hermione grins.

''Still trying to protect me from the evil batman huh Harry? Don't worry. I trust him and Ginny trusts him and Albus trusts him. Thats what matters to me.'' She pauses to take another sip of her drink. ''He is a good man Harry. He risked his life for you and Albus and all of us for years. He has proved himself in my book.'' She takes another sip and glances up from the top of her desk to see Harry's reaction to her speech, completely unaware of the dark man just outside her door, with an ear perked to her words. Harry is staring pensively into his cup of tea, as if it holds all the answers and she smiles to herself as thoughts from her third year divination class pops into her head. ''Reading your tea leaves Harry?'' She says smiling cheekily. He looks up at her with a small smile gracing his lips.

''I wish 'Mione. Maybe they could tell me a little of what might happen if I could.'' His smile fades and he gazes back into his cup, drowning in his thoughts. Hermione jumps as her locket heats up and a second later, Ginny's voice fills the room.

''Hermione? Hermione, come quick! I-I... something is wrong with Alan. Please Hermione come quick!'' Hermione leaps out of her seat and tears out of the room like a mad-woman, followed closely by Harry and a slightly surprised Severus as well. Hermione dashes to the quarantine room, barely remembering to charm herself. The two following behind her mimic her incantations and soon all the are safe in their protective medical charms and inside the quarantine room. Harry lays a passing glance at tonks when he enters the room but soon finds his attention drawn back to a boy retching over the side of the next cot over from her. Harry gags slightly but pales even worse when he sees the blood falling among the boy's sick in the bed pan. He steps over and draws Ginny into a comforting hug, allowing her to hide her frightened sobs in his chest, away from the rest of the room. Harry looks over and finds Tonks in almost the same condition as he... pale and trembling at the sight with tears streaming down her face in fear. It could easily be her next...

''Ginny? Ginny, I need you to pull it together. I need your help.'' Hermione looks back at her younger assistant. Severus is standing in the shadow of the door hoping to go unnoticed, but now he steps forward, ready to help at a word. Hermione glances over at him and he steps toward her, determined to help after the look of panic on Hermione's face. He kneels down next to the bed and rests a hand on her shoulder briefly before clutching the boy's shoulders in Hermione's place.

''Miss Granger, if you go down to my lab you will find your potion in its last stage. I will care for the child while you finish it.'' He clutches her hand as she opens her mouth to speak and shakes his head. ''No Miss Granger, I have often had to deal with this sort of thing for myself, we will need the potion. Everyone else _leave._'' He says turning to address the pair of onlookers. Harry nods once and gently leads Ginny from the room. Hermione looks at Severus.

''Professor...''

''Hermione,'' He near whispers. ''The potion please.'' Hermione nods, taking the slightest bit of strength from his soft, velvety tones.

''Of course. I'll return shortly...''


	3. Casualties of War

**Chapter 2**

**Casualty of War**

Severus had been with the sick boy for nearly an hour now. If Miss Granger had done everything correctly, the potion would be done at any second... he could only hope that it would be soon enough. The boy's condition is getting worse with every second that passes and soon he would drown in his own blood if they couldn't get him stable. He mutters a constant stream of healing charms over the boy, trying to find one that might get past the magic blocking virus-curse. Severus sighs and glances over at Tonks, who is steadily watching him and the boy with tears streaming down her face. He catches her eye and she smiles shakily at him, trying to imply that it doesn't bother her. He nods and looks back down at the boy next to him. He notices the color of the boy's face drain away and he begins to realize the boy's inability to breath properly. Nearly panicking, Severus pulls the boy up and leans him over the bedpan, hoping to allow the boy to retch but the boy doesn't. Instead he begins coughing wildly, drawing in heaving, rasping breaths and ignoring the trickle of blood running down his jaw. Severus rubs the boy's back and the boy quite suddenly coughs up a large spatter of blood into the bedpan. Severus realizes that these may be the boy's last moments and he draws the boy into his lap. He shushes the boy's crying and rocks him gently, murmuring little sounds of comfort to the tiny child in his arms. The boy's crying stills and Severus sighs in relief. Unfortunately his relief lasts only briefly as he realizes that the boy has gone to still. Severus looks down at the boy in a renewed panic. He gently shakes the boy's shoulders and waves an awakening charm over the boy again and again. After a moment of shocked thought, he slips the boy back onto the bed and slowly waves another spell over the boy. Severus turns deathly pale as the aura around the boy shows faded gray. Severus lowers his wand and stares at the boy's placid face lost in thoughts of what Hermione's reaction may be. Carefully, sadly, respectfully, Severus lays the bed sheet over the boy's face and bows his head. A moment later he feels a hand on his shoulder and he tenses violently. He turns to see Tonks looking up at him with sad eyes. Severus is suddenly filled with rage.

''Are you insane woman?! Do you want to end up like him? Get back in your bed **_now_**!'' Tonks flinches and Severus quite suddenly sweeps her up and sets her back in her own bed, tucking the covers around her again. Once she is settled again, he sighs and sinks down next to her with his face in his hands.

Hermione barrels into the quarantine room, carrying a vial of her finished potion.

''Severus! Severus, I finished it. I...'' Hermione takes note of the scene before her she pales and drops the bottle with a soft gasp. In a moment, Severus is in front of her, catching her as she collapses. ''Severus?, Please... tell me its not...'' she sobs openly against him as she tries to push by. He catches her around the waist and holds her to him.

''Dobby.'' He calls softly, holding Hermione tightly as she clutches to his robes. The little house elf appears in front of him and slowly takes in the scene around him.

''Yes sir? What can Dobby do sir?''

''Take the body of Mr Myres to the proper place... And clean the bed.'' He tightens his arms around the sobbing Girl. The sound tears at his mind and tightens his lungs but he forces himself to push her away. He keeps his hands tightly on her shoulders.

''Miss Granger... Miss Granger... Hermione! Hermione, you have to pull yourself together. The others will need your help now. We all need you to be strong. Do you hear? You need to be _strong.'' _Hermione looks up at Severus tearfully and nods. His face flickers into softness briefly before he lowers his hands from her shoulders. ''Good girl. I have made your daily potion. Perhaps it would be best to take it early today.'' Hermione nods again and he gently ushers her towards her office and away from the dismal quarantine room. To anyone passing, it may seem as is Hermione was under the imperious curse but no one saw them as they made their way to her office. Once she is seated behind her desk with the door locked and warded, Severus lets himself relax. He kneels next to Hermione and takes her tiny, womanly hands in his own precise, artistic ones. She stares blankly at him.

''That boy... That poor boy... What will I tell his mother and father?... Oh God, Oh god...'' Hermione leans forward and puts her forehead against her and Severus's clasped hands.

''Hermione. Alan was an orphan. His parents died about a month ago. There was nothing you could have done to help him. If you had rushed the potion you would have ruined it and probably poisoned him anyway. It is _not your fault_.'' Severus says earnestly trying to comfort her in some way. He doesn't know why he is doing it but he can't stop himself. Listening to her crying is making his chest tighten a most unpleasant way and he is terrified at the implication that he might actually care that she is crying. How many times had he made her cry before? How many times had he relished the sound of her sobs echoing down the corridor as she ran out of his room? What had made this different? He reaches up with one hand and strokes away a section of bushy brown curls, watching as it springs away from his fingers. Hermione is sobbing again. Gently, Severus pulls his hand back, drawing her own hands with it until she is curled up in his lap. He strokes her hair again and holds her as she cries against him. ''Hermione, you need to take your potion, it will help you to calm down. Severus reaches into his robe pocket with the hand that had been in her hair and pulls out her bottle of potion. He pulls the stopper out with his teeth and holds it to her mouth. She holds her hand over his and drinks it down, feeling the effects almost immediately. Hermione sighs and the lines in her face disappear. She wraps her arm back around Severus's waist and relaxes in his arms. He looks down at her slightly uncomfortable at having her so close but not wanting to let her go either. Hermione jumps back suddenly.

''Oh merlin... I'm sorry Professor! I-I just... um...'' Severus smirks at her as she wipes away her tears.

''Miss Granger, it is alright. Its not every day that I get to hold a beautiful woman in my arms...'' _Oh God! Did I actually just say that?! _Hermione stares at him in small shock. Severus makes his face impassive and gets to his feet, brushing himself off and straitening his robes before reaching down to help Hermione up. She brushes her bum off and blushes brightly with her eyes lowered, afraid to look into his eyes and see that he might have been lying.

''Um... I-I have other patients to take care of and... um...''

''Yes of course. I really should get back to making those potions for you.'' Severus bows elegantly and kisses Hermione's hand before turning and sweeping out of the room. Hermione watches him go.

''Wow...'' Hermione grabs a few potions off the shelf and steps into the infirmary, her mind slightly numb and her skin still tingling from the feel of his lips on her hand.

Hermione enters the infirmary and is met with the sight of Madame Rosemerta bent over a nearby cot.

''Rosemerta?'' The woman turns and grins widely.

''Ah! Hermione! There you are! I was just saying hello to my old friend Kingsley Shacklebolt. Plus, I heard that you needed an extra pair of hands.'' Hermione lights up. '' I figured that you would need them as soon as possible so I came here instead of unpacking.'' Hermione throws herself at Rosemerta and hugs the laughing woman fiercely.

''Oh Rosy! I knew I was to get someone but I figured it would be some stuffy medi-witch that smelled funny. I'm so glad its you instead!'' Rosemerta laughs and hugs Hermione back.

''I am too... Its better than being anywhere else.''


End file.
